Arrested Tavares High teacher John Peter Salamon was subject of past complaints

December 28, 2008|By Stephen Hudak , Sentinel Staff Writer

TAVARES -- Police say they have received fresh leads in their investigation of a Tavares High School teacher accused of groping a 15-year-old student in the school's media center.

John Peter Salamon, 54, a teacher in Lake County schools since 1986, had a history of "touchy" and "creepy" behavior, said police Chief Stoney Lubins, using descriptions given to detectives by past and present female students at the school.

Lubins said police would investigate all complaints -- old and new.

In a probable-cause affidavit that outlined the basis for Salamon's arrest Monday on a charge of lewd and lascivious conduct, Tavares police detective Karl Grogan detailed a series of similar allegations, none of which had previously been reported to police.

Three of the girls were athletes, at least two of whom had played for Salamon, an athletic director at the high school where he previously coached girls' soccer and softball.

Another girl told the Orlando Sentinel that Salamon had tried to kiss her on the mouth on the final day of school last year.

"If I hadn't turned my head, he would have," she said.

Instead, he kissed her cheek, the student said.

No record of complaints

Lubins said investigators could find no record of student complaints or disciplinary action in Salamon's employee file.

Salamon, freed Monday from the Lake County Jail after posting $5,000 bond, did not return a message seeking comment.

The alleged incident that led to Salamon's arrest occurred Dec. 9 in the media center where a 15-year-old girl was typing a school report on a library computer, police said.

Salamon, who teaches special-education students, leaned down, slid his arm around the girl's back and put his hand on her breast, according to police.

He told the girl that she would be on the cover of a magazine soon, kissed her cheek and said "love you" before walking away, police said. Another student who was in the media center told police he saw the incident and, when Salamon left, asked the girl if the teacher had just kissed her.

She said that he had.

The girl then reported the incident to two of her teachers.

Principal investigates

Salamon met with police Dec. 15, accompanied by a representative of the teachers union, but he declined to answer questions or provide a statement without an attorney.

Tavares High Principal Kathy Tatro attempted to conduct her own investigation after learning of the girl's complaint. Police said Tatro obtained a statement from Salamon in which he said he put his arm on the girl's shoulder and discussed a magazine article but denied kissing her. He also did not recall saying anything else to the girl, who was not one of his students.

In the probable-cause affidavit, police also stated:

*A 17-year-old girl said Salamon kissed her on the cheek Dec. 8 after a weightlifting meet.

*School Resource Officer Johnny Webb saw Salamon hug a female volleyball player after a match in October and reported the incident to an assistant principal. Webb, according to the report, said the hug "did not seem inappropriate" but he nonetheless expressed concern to school officials that the teacher "could get in trouble for that type of behavior."

*A retired assistant principal told investigators Salamon was relieved of his coaching duties in 1999 because of complaints from two softball players, one of whom said Salamon had called timeout during a game to whisper in her ear that he loved her and wanted her to love him back.

Teacher reassigned

Salamon, a teacher at Tavares High since 1996, was reassigned this month to a district post where he has no contact with students, said Deke DeLoach, the schools' human-resources chief.

Lake Schools Superintendent Susan Moxley promised a thorough review of the case but would not address the possibility that school officials had failed to investigate, document and retain previous student complaints.

"I am concerned about anything that interferes with the safety and well-being of our students and the educational environment," Moxley said.